Publication:
Access to Financial Services : A Review of the Issues and Public Policy Objectives

dc.contributor.author Claessens, Stijn
dc.date.accessioned 2012-06-25T18:09:26Z
dc.date.available 2012-06-25T18:09:26Z
dc.date.issued 2005-05
dc.description.abstract This paper reviews the evidence on the importance of finance for economic well-being, provides data on the degree of use of basic financial services by households and firms across a sample of countries, assesses the desirability of more universal access, and overviews the macroeconomic, legal, and regulatory obstacles to access using general evidence and case studies. Although access to finance can be very beneficial, the data show that universal use is far from prevalent in many countries, especially developing countries. At the same time, universal access has generally not been a public policy objective and is surely not easily achievable in most countries. Countries can, however, undertake many actions to facilitate access to financial services, including through strengthening their institutional infrastructures, liberalizing and opening up their markets and facilitating greater competition, and encouraging innovative use of know-how and technology. Government attempts and interventions to directly broaden the provision of access to finance, however, are fraught with risks and costs, among others, the risk of missing the targeted groups. The author concludes with possible global actions aimed at improving data on access and use, and areas for further analysis to help identify the constraints to broadening access. en
dc.identifier http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2005/05/5800525/access-financial-services-review-issues-public-policy-objectives
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/10986/8958
dc.language English
dc.publisher World Bank, Washington, DC
dc.relation.ispartofseries Policy Research Working Paper; No. 3589
dc.rights CC BY 3.0 IGO
dc.rights.holder World Bank
dc.rights.uri http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/
dc.subject ACCOUNTING
dc.subject ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS
dc.subject ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE
dc.subject BANK ACCOUNTS
dc.subject BANK OF ENGLAND
dc.subject BANKING SERVICES
dc.subject BANKING SYSTEM
dc.subject BANKING SYSTEMS
dc.subject BANKS
dc.subject CAPITAL ADEQUACY
dc.subject CAPITAL MARKETS
dc.subject CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS
dc.subject CAPITALIZATION
dc.subject CHECKING
dc.subject CLEAN WATER
dc.subject COMMERCIAL BANKS
dc.subject CORPORATE SECTOR
dc.subject COUNTRIES
dc.subject DATA AVAILABILITY
dc.subject DATA COLLECTION
dc.subject DEFICITS
dc.subject DEPOSITS
dc.subject DOMESTIC STOCK MARKETS
dc.subject DOMESTIC/FOREIGN BANKS
dc.subject ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
dc.subject ECONOMIC GROWTH
dc.subject ECONOMIES OF SCALE
dc.subject EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE
dc.subject EXPENDITURES
dc.subject FACTORING
dc.subject FINANCIAL CRISES
dc.subject FINANCIAL DEEPENING
dc.subject FINANCIAL DEVELOPMENT
dc.subject FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
dc.subject FINANCIAL INTERMEDIATION
dc.subject FINANCIAL MARKETS
dc.subject FINANCIAL REFORM
dc.subject FINANCIAL SECTOR
dc.subject FINANCIAL SERVICES
dc.subject FINANCIAL STABILITY
dc.subject FINANCIAL STRUCTURE
dc.subject FINANCIAL SYSTEMS
dc.subject FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS
dc.subject FIRMS
dc.subject FIXED COSTS
dc.subject GLOBALIZATION
dc.subject HEALTH CARE
dc.subject HEALTH CARE SERVICES
dc.subject HEALTH SERVICES
dc.subject INCOME
dc.subject INCOME DISTRIBUTION
dc.subject INCOME LEVEL
dc.subject INCOME LEVELS
dc.subject INEQUALITY
dc.subject INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY
dc.subject INSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENT
dc.subject INSURANCE
dc.subject INTEREST RATES
dc.subject INVESTMENT CLIMATE
dc.subject LAWS
dc.subject LEGAL SYSTEMS
dc.subject LIQUIDITY
dc.subject MARKET FAILURES
dc.subject MICROFINANCE
dc.subject MONEY LAUNDERING
dc.subject POLICY RESEARCH
dc.subject PRIMARY EDUCATION
dc.subject PRIVATIZATION
dc.subject PRODUCTIVITY
dc.subject PROFITABILITY
dc.subject PROPERTY RIGHTS
dc.subject PUBLIC GOODS
dc.subject PUBLIC POLICY
dc.subject PUBLIC SERVICES
dc.subject PUBLIC/PRIVATE BANKS
dc.subject REGULATORY APPROACHES
dc.subject RETAIL BANKS
dc.subject REVERSE CAUSALITY
dc.subject SAVINGS
dc.subject SAVINGS BANKS
dc.subject SECURITIES
dc.subject SECURITIES MARKETS
dc.subject STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES
dc.subject TAXATION
dc.subject URBAN AREAS
dc.subject WAGES
dc.title Access to Financial Services : A Review of the Issues and Public Policy Objectives en
dspace.entity.type Publication
okr.doctype Publications & Research :: Policy Research Working Paper
okr.doctype Publications & Research
okr.docurl http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2005/05/5800525/access-financial-services-review-issues-public-policy-objectives
okr.globalpractice Poverty
okr.globalpractice Finance and Markets
okr.globalpractice Governance
okr.identifier.doi 10.1596/1813-9450-3589
okr.identifier.externaldocumentum 000090341_20050515132903
okr.identifier.internaldocumentum 5800525
okr.identifier.report WPS3589
okr.language.supported en
okr.pdfurl http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2005/05/15/000090341_20050515132903/Rendered/PDF/wps3589.pdf en
okr.relation.associatedurl https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/16428
okr.topic Finance and Financial Sector Development :: Financial Intermediation
okr.topic Banks and Banking Reform
okr.topic Health Economics and Finance
okr.topic Poverty Reduction :: Poverty Assessment
okr.topic Governance :: Governance Indicators
okr.unit Development Research Group (DECRG)
okr.volume 1 of 1
relation.isSeriesOfPublication 26e071dc-b0bf-409c-b982-df2970295c87
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